Roy Hodgson says Vicente Guaita and Wayne Hennessey are now competing for number 1 jersey
Hodgson suggested Guaita could profit from Hennessey's injury, while the Spaniard gave his first interview since joining Palace and insisted he'll be ready if called upon
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Your support makes all the difference.Roy Hodgson will make Vicente Guaita and Wayne Hennessey sweat over Crystal Palace's number 1 jersey after the Spaniard helped the Eagles to a clean sheet and a curse-breaking win that barely begins to tell the story of his Premier League debut.
Called in at the last minute to replace Hennessey, who was suffering from back spasms, Guaita finally got to take the gloves that many had assumed he would be handed when the highly-rated Spaniard abandoned La Liga for the Premier League in the summer.
The uptick in Hennessey's form has kept the former Valencia goalkeeper on the sidelines barring a few cup appearances and perhaps the 31-year-old stopper was a little rusty as luck smiled on him on as wet and cold a league debut as you could imagine.
Guaita made a dramatic late save that cannoned back off the post and into his arms, a fortuitous bounce when he most needed it. Leicester also felt that they should have had a goal when Guaita's heavy touch allowed Jamie Vardy to pounce, but the England man was deemed to have fouled the Palace keeper in his desperation to secure possession.
Otherwise, though, the veteran kept the Foxes at bay with his shot-stopping and looked far more comfortable than Wales No.1 Hennessey with the ball at his feet, putting Hodgson in a position where he needs to make a big call.
"There is competition between the two of them and that will be a decision I have to make," Hodgson said.
"I was really pleased with him today. I’m happy at this moment in time I don’t have to make that decision. I might have to at some stage in the week. I’ve got to that stage in my life where difficult decisions I don’t have to make, I push them into the future until such time I have to make them."
That likely means next week after more discussions with Dean Kiely, the goalkeeping coach, as well as the physios, Hennessey and Guaita himself.
Giving his first interview since arriving on British shores, Guaita revealed that his preparation will be no different than usual even if he has no clue who will be starting the next game.
"It's difficult. It's difficult because Wayne Hennessey is a good goalkeeper, Speroni is a good goalkeeper and all I want to do is help Crystal Palace. That's why I came to England, to be able to play, to help, to win points and above all as goalkeepers we have to be ready.
"I have worked very hard to be ready and the important thing is that we just keep on working because you see the results reflected on the field. I hope this dynamic continues whether we're playing with Hennessey, today with me or whatever. What matters is Crystal Palace and the points."
When the conditions are as utterly miserable as they were for Palace's win over Leicester - driving rain and temperatures only just hovering above freezing - the contrast with Guaita's home in Valencia and south London couldn't be more stark, but the 31 year old insisted he's adapting well to his new surroundings.
"Above everything it's about a positive mentality. I think Spain and south London are very different. It's true that we have a... different climate and today you see it's a hard day in London, hard in terms of cold, rainy. But we carry on, with a positive mentality.
"To have a great teammate like [Julian] Speroni helps, and everyone else around Crystal Palace has been great, but he can obviously help me more because of the language. Little by little I'm speaking more English, but I'm taking that day by day."
Hodgson suggested that Guaita might be underselling his own linguistic abilities, claiming the keeper's English was "quite good", but he wasn't understating how much he thinks of his goalkeeping corps with a strong start to the season for Hennessey, a clean sheet on debut for Guaita and club legend Julian Speroni ready to step in as third-choice if needed.
"[Guaita] has impressed me since he stepped into the club," Hodgson said.
"Strangely enough, at the end of last season, Wayne Hennessey was playing really, really well and at the start of this season, there was no reason for me to deprive him of his place.
"Then he stepped in and did extremely well in the games. So poor Vicente Guaita has had to wait to show what he can do.
"I was never in any doubt that he would be a good goalkeeper and do well for us. We are very fortunate at Crystal Palace football club that we’ve got three good goalkeepers. I wouldn’t think there are too many clubs, even in the Premier League, that have got two good goalkeepers competing as one and two, with a third like Speroni behind them. We’re blessed."
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